I was messing around on Twitter earlier today, when I came across the Twiike Leaderboard. I’ve posted about Twiike before – It allows you to automatically add your Nike+ runs to Twitter. Anyway, the Twiike service put together a list of the top 100 runners (out of those using the service, obviously). When I saw that, I told myself that I needed to be on that list – I was just assuming I wasn’t on there. As I scrolled down, I saw my Twitter name (@Runlikeh3ll) and I’m #73 on the list. Pretty cool! Now I’m determined to move up that list. I’ve been doing nothing but interval runs lately, so my runs are short but fast. Anyway, we’ll see how that goes.

I personally don’t own an iPhone (I don’t want to leave Verizon) but I know several people that have them and swear by them. And I can definitely see the appeal – The “homebrew” scene seems to be thriving, and there are applications available for almost everything you can imagine. RNCentral.com has put together a list of 50 Awesome iPhone Apps for Runners. There seem to be several apps on the list that all do more or less the exact same thing, but regardless there’s some cool stuff on there – Check it out!

For now though, I’m happy with my iPod Nano and Nike+ chip. Just out of curiosity, do any of you use Nike+ as well?

Are you in need of some good exercise, but you don’t want to miss your favorite shows by going to the gym? If that is the case, you may be interested in purchasing a treadmill. With your own treadmill, you can exercise and watch TV at the same time! If you aren’t sure about which treadmill to get, let this be your guide to treadmill reviews.

There are many places to go to learn about treadmill reviews. Most of these treadmill reviews go over several aspects. Some treadmill reviews go over the ease of use and functionality of the treadmill. Other treadmill reviews go over the price of the treadmills. Other treadmill reviews just go over comparing the different brands of treadmills.

We will go over the top 3 treadmill that were listed in the treadmill reviews. These treadmills are listed as the “best buys”. The first treadmill is in the below $1000 category. It is the Smooth 5.15. This treadmill has an excellent 2.5 HP motor which is almost never found in treadmills priced this low. It also comes with a 10 year warranty which is also never found in treadmills priced this low.

The second treadmill is in the best mid priced category. This is the Sole F83 priced at $1799.99. This treadmill has a nice 3.0 HP ultra torque motor. It also has several extended warranties. Lastly, this is a folding treadmill with several safety features that are not available with most folding treadmills. It is said to be more stable than most non folding treadmills.

And lastly we have the best premium treadmill. This treadmill is the Landice L7 Pro Sports trainer. This treadmill is priced at $3095.00(!) It has a 3.0 HP Baldor motor, which many treadmill enthusiasts know is one of the best motors to have. This treadmill is made with aircraft quality aluminum and hardware. It can support a person up to 500 pounds! It also comes with a lifetime warranty, which suffices to say, no other treadmill can beat.

Now that you know a little more about treadmills, it is time you got out there and picked one out! You will be glad you did.

I should note that I don’t own a treadmill myself, but I have looked into it, and plan on buying one in the near future.

A humorous look at what one should wear when running a race. Perhaps I’ll take a more serious approach to this topic in the near future?

If you’re buying a treadmill, chances are you’ve done lots of research already. You probably know exactly what makes up a high quality treadmill and have an idea of which features you want in your unit.

But even with this knowledge many people still fall prey to slick treadmill deals that end up costing them in the long run.

In order to keep that from happening to you, here are 3 essential buying tips to make sure you choose the very best treadmill for you.

#1) Not All Treadmill Brands Are Created Equal

I recently had a gentleman e-mail me asking for advice on which treadmill he should buy. He had narrowed it down to 3 choices:

Brand A: 2.5 HP motor $999

Brand B: 1.75 HP motor $899

Brand C: 2.0 HP motor $1099

He asked me which treadmill I would buy. He was clearly leaning towards Brand A.

This was the natural choice for most people and it makes sense: get the most for the least. Or get the most motor power for the least amount of money.

However, my answer surprised him. I told him if it were my choice, I would go with Brand C for $1099. Here’s why:

Although the motor power is lower than Brand A and the price is higher, Brand C makes an overall better treadmill. Why?

Brand C has a reputation for making high quality treadmills and backing them up with extensive warranties, including a lifetime warranty on the motor. It can afford to give such lengthy warranties because it knows that it makes a quality product that probably WON’T break down – even over a lifetime.

Brand A on the other hand offers a 90-day motor warranty. What does that tell you about the quality of parts?

Although motor power is a good feature to consider when buying a treadmill – you have to be careful. Look at it in the context of the whole treadmill – including the brand.

Not all treadmill brands are created equal. Some treadmill brands use extremely high quality materials. Others well, don’t.

Make sure to look beyond just the bare numbers when choosing a treadmill. Look at the whole picture to find the best treadmill for you.

#2) Don’t Always Believe What The Salesperson Tells You

Get it in writing. This isn’t to put down any salesperson – but they are human. They do make mistakes, and sometimes this can end up costing you.

I had another lady e-mail me asking for advice on choosing a treadmill. She’d narrowed it down to several and was leaning towards one in particular (let’s call it Treadmill X).

She had been told by a salesperson in the store that this Treadmill X (for $899) came with a lifetime warranty on the motor.

This lady was smart. She was looking at the whole treadmill picture. The price was excellent. The motor power was average (1.75 HP). And who can pass up a lifetime motor warranty?

But wait a minute.

I was fairly familiar with this treadmill brand and knew something was off.

This particular treadmill brand never gives lifetime motor warranties – ever. Not even on their commercial treadmills. So why would they offer a lifetime motor warranty on one of their economy treadmills?

I voiced my concerns to her and wasn’t surprised to hear back a couple of days later that the salesperson had actually been mistaken about the lifetime warranty.

If she had bought this treadmill simply based on what the salesperson said, she might have gotten a nasty surprise – especially since this particular treadmill brand is known for being extremely costly to repair.

Don’t always trust what the salesperson says. Make sure to get it in writing before you buy!

#3 Forget the Price Tag – Look at the REAL Price Of The Treadmill

Price is probably one of the most important factors when buying a treadmill. But sometimes the price of the treadmill can be misleading.

For example, let’s say you’re looking at Brand A in a store with a price of $799. Pretty good price right?

A much better deal than Brand B – sold online – at $999.

But look closer at Brand A. Brand A only comes with a 90 day parts and labor warranty so you need to buy added coverage. You pay $50 for a 2 year extended motor warranty.

So Brand A’s total cost is now $849 (with a 2 year motor warranty)

Brand B is still $999 (with a 10 year motor warranty already included)

Overall, you figure that Brand A is still the better deal since it’s cheaper.

But look closer. You need to pay shipping costs for Brand A. Shipping costs from most stores usually run you about $150.

Brand B, since it is sold online offers free shipping (most online treadmill sellers do).

So Brand A’s total cost is now $998 (with a 2 year motor warranty)

Brand B is still $999 (with a 10 year motor warranty)

With Brand A, $799 has gone to buy the treadmill, $50 has gone to buy the warranty and $150 has gone into shipping.

With Brand B, $999 has gone to buy the treadmill (warranty included).

So which treadmill do you think actually gives you the most value for your money?

And don’t forget that many online treadmill stores don’t charge sales tax. The store that sells Brand A does. That technically makes Brand A MORE expensive than Brand B.

So when comparing treadmills, make sure to consider the TOTAL COST of each treadmill before you buy.

By keeping these 3 tips in mind when purchasing a treadmill:

- Not all treadmill brands are created equal

- Don’t believe what the salesperson tells you – get it in writing

and

- Look at the REAL price of the treadmill

you’ll be well on your way to choosing the best treadmill investment for you.